Dear Maurine:
Public libraries offer a wide variety of incentives many patrons enjoy =
but with that come many problems as well. Media in public libraries as =
numerous benefits but unless you have the staff which must include =
technicians who can remove stuck items, repair a split video frame =
without losing an important part of the film, repairing vcrs,TV/VCR =
combo units, cleaning, clerks with some technical background on showing =
patrons how to use the equipment and handle items, clear rules and =
regulations regarding use and abuse, and funding, tread carefully. I am =
in charge of an academic media center where we have more control simply =
because we are non-circulating. All items must be viewed in-house and =
college IDs are required. No ticket-no laundry as the saying goes. This =
is not to say that we don't encounter problems- we do. but we are also =
able to impact directly on a patron who may manage to walk out with an =
item. We can access their the class schedule, and even contact them at =
home, if need be. Because we have an on-line circulation system, access =
to our student patron records can be made.=20

In a public arena will you limit the amount of time a patron can use a =
carrel, either for video or recordings? And if so, what is the time =
limit?

In a public library, remember that many senior citizens enjoy their =
local library where they can=20
read the paper, look at the latest bestsellers. This latest offering =
will undoubtedly attract many more. And don't forget the school kids =
once school lets out. They will draw to this like magnets. You will have =
to have the kind of staff that can deal with this particular group. As a =
former children's librarian, I can say that I really enjoyed working =
with children. I cannot say this for many of my former staff members =
that worked with me during those years.=20

Will the carrels where video can be viewed, have headsets, and if so, =
how will patrons be allowed to get them. Another aspect to consider is =
cleaning headsets. We clean headsets everyday because=20
of the amount of hairspray and other hair products many students use. =
This must be done in any
public environment where equipment such as ours is used. Good luck.

I've posted this query to CircPlus, so please excuse the =
cross-posting.

We are starting to grapple with some thorny issues to determine =
whether or not to introduce media equipment for public use into the =
library. We would appreciate responses from public libraries which have =
carrels or equipment already, so that we can at least begin to decide =
exactly what direction to take.

Here are a few of our questions:

What kind of equipment do you provide the public for use in the =
library? VCRs? DVD players? Compact Disc music players? Tape =
players? Other?

Who uses the equipment in the library? Parents and children? After =
school student use? Adults?

Is the equipment high end stuff or inexpensive (like boom boxes)? =
Where do you purchase your equipment (i.e., catalogs, the local discount =
house, etc.)?

Do you have special furniture for the equipment? What kind?

Does the equipment live in the furniture permanently or do you hand it =
out and plug it in on request?

What do you do about security for the equipment?

What happens when the equipment breaks? Do you have a repair or =
replacement budget? How often does the stuff break?

How do you monitor use of the equipment? Do people sign up to use it? =
Do you hold a library card or i.d.? Who monitors usage? Circ.? =
Reference? Someone else (who)?

How is the usage? Is the amount you have meeting the demand?

Do you think the equipment is worth the expense and staff time? Why =
or why not?

Public libraries offer a wide variety of =
incentives=20
many patrons enjoy but with that come many problems as well. Media in =
public=20
libraries as numerous benefits but unless you have the staff which must =
include=20
technicians who can remove stuck items, repair a split video frame =
without=20
losing an important part of the film, repairing vcrs,TV/VCR combo units, =
cleaning, clerks with some technical background on showing patrons how =
to use=20
the equipment and handle items, clear rules and regulations =
regarding use=20
and abuse, and funding, tread carefully. I am in charge of an =
academic=20
media center where we have more control simply because we are =
non-circulating.=20
All items must be viewed in-house and college IDs are required. No =
ticket-no=20
laundry as the saying goes. This is not to say that we don't encounter =
problems-=20
we do. but we are also able to impact directly on a patron who may =
manage to=20
walk out with an item. We can access their the class schedule, and even =
contact=20
them at home, if need be. Because we have an on-line circulation system, =
access=20
to our student patron records can be made.

In a public arena will you limit the amount of time =
a patron=20
can use a carrel, either for video or recordings? And if so, what is the =
time=20
limit?

In a public library, remember that many senior =
citizens enjoy=20
their local library where they can

read the paper, look at the latest bestsellers. This =
latest=20
offering will undoubtedly attract many more. And don't forget the school =
kids=20
once school lets out. They will draw to this like magnets. You will have =
to have=20
the kind of staff that can deal with this particular group. As a former=20
children's librarian, I can say that I really enjoyed working with =
children. I=20
cannot say this for many of my former staff members that worked with me =
during=20
those years.

Will the carrels where video can be viewed, have =
headsets, and=20
if so, how will patrons be allowed to get them. Another aspect to =
consider=20
is cleaning headsets. We clean headsets everyday because

of the amount of hairspray and other hair =
products many=20
students use. This must be done in any

public environment where equipment such as ours is =
used. =20
Good luck.

We are starting to grapple with some thorny issues =
to=20
determine whether or not to introduce media equipment for public use =
into the=20
library. We would appreciate responses from public libraries =
which have=20
carrels or equipment already, so that we can at least begin to decide =
exactly=20
what direction to take.

Here are a few of our questions:

What kind of equipment do you provide the public =
for use in=20
the library? VCRs? DVD players? Compact Disc music=20
players? Tape players? Other?

Who uses the equipment in the library? =
Parents and=20
children? After school student use? Adults?

Is the equipment high end stuff or inexpensive =
(like boom=20
boxes)? Where do you purchase your equipment (i.e., catalogs, =
the local=20
discount house, etc.)?

Do you have special furniture for the =
equipment? What=20
kind?

Does the equipment live in the furniture =
permanently or do=20
you hand it out and plug it in on request?

What do you do about security for the=20
equipment?

What happens when the equipment breaks? Do =
you have a=20
repair or replacement budget? How often does the stuff=20
break?

How do you monitor use of the equipment? Do =
people=20
sign up to use it? Do you hold a library card or i.d.? Who =
monitors usage? Circ.? Reference? Someone else=20
(who)?

How is the usage? Is the amount you have =
meeting the=20
demand?

Do you think the equipment is worth the expense =
and staff=20
time? Why or why not?